1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to printing and sorting indicia-carrying flexible sheets. More particularly, the invention relates to delivering printed sheets in offset stacks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The IBM 6670 Information Distributor copies onto copy sheets indicia carried by original documents or magnetic cards. Successive documents or cards create a designated number of copies in either a copy exit pocket or a print exit pocket. During "copy" operation, copies of documents or cards accumulate in the copy exit pocket in the designated order and quantities. For example, ten copies of a second document stack onto ten copies of a first document. During "print" operation, the card indicia repeatedly generate copies in job sequence placing, for example, ten pairs of copies of documents one and two in the print exit pocket. Alternate jobs, each second pair of copies in the example, sit in the print exit pocket offset from its neighboring pair, facilitating operator removal and separation.
A job separator mechanism adjacent the print exit pocket of the IBM 6670 every sheet passing through it from a copy sheet aligner to the pocket. A job separator vane routes alternate jobs directly to the exit pocket without offset. Applicants' invention eliminates the job separator mechanism by off-setting the jobs in the sheet aligner.
In the IBM 6670 sheet aligner, rollers drive sheets from an entry, across an aligner plate, against a reference edge and then out an exit. Regardless of entry sheet orientation, all sheets exit aligned to a single reference edge.
The prior art shows metal-sheet staggering by selecting differently positioned stop plates against which sheets may stack. These devices do not address job separation by acting on one relatively flimsy, flexible sheet passing through an aligner to a separate stacking device. Separating jobs by moving stack stops creates movement and damage problems in stacks of light, thin material, like paper, not evident with metal sheets.